Additive deposition system and method

ABSTRACT

An additive deposition system and method, the system including generating an aerosol of additive material that is charged and deposited onto a selectively charged substrate. Selectively charging the substrate includes uniformly charging a surface of the substrate, selectively removing charged from the substrate to create charged and neutral regions of the substrate surface. The charged regions of the substrate having a polarity opposite a polarity of the charged aerosol. The charged aerosol of additive material deposited onto the selectively charged portions of the substrate surface due to the potential difference between the charged substrate and charged aerosol. The system and method further including repeating the additive deposition process to create a multi-layer matrix of additive material.

BACKGROUND

Custom manufacturing of parts is a growing industry and has wide rangingapplications. Traditionally, injection molding machines and othermachining techniques were used to create models of objects or to createthe objects themselves. More specifically, heated materials like glass,metals, thermoplastics, and other polymers are injected into aninjection mold specifically formed in the shape of the desired object.The material is allowed to cool in the mold and take on the shape of themold to form the object. Injection molds are expensive andtime-consuming to create and changes to the shape of the object aredifficult to accommodate without further increasing the time and expenseof creating the object.

The additive manufacturing industry arose in response to the expense,time, and difficulty in changing injection molds to create models orobjects themselves. Known additive manufacturing techniques includefused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), selectivelaser sintering (SLS), and jetting systems among others. Each knownadditive manufacturing technique has limitations in materials, expense,and/or volume capabilities that prevent the production of small run,customized manufacturing and prototyping using a complete set ofthermoplastic materials. Further, known additive manufacturingtechniques are unable to accurately create a part with mechanicalproperties, surface finish, and feature replication of the qualityobject produced by traditional techniques like injection molding.

In situations in which additive manufacturing does not produce parts ofsufficient performance for an application, an entire industry of rapidcomputer numerical control (CNC) machining and rapid injection moldingusing low cost tools has arisen. However, these techniques aresignificantly more expensive than additive manufacturing techniques andhave their own process limitations.

The industry was forced to decide between a high quality, high volumecapability object produced by the traditional, but expensive,inflexible, and time-consuming techniques like injection molding, andadditive manufacturing techniques that produced a lower quality object,perhaps without the desired structural integrity, and sometimes withoutthe desired materials, but with greater speed and flexibility. Forexample, FDM and SLS are limited in the type of material able to be usedand create a less than 100% density object. Rapid CNC molding has betterquality objects with great feature detail and finishes, but remainsexpensive. Prototypes created with the known additive manufacturingtechniques are often refined until a final design is selected at whichpoint an injection mold is created for large scale, high qualityinjection molding production. Such a multi-phase production process isalso time-consuming and expensive.

The manufacturing industry would benefit from a manufacturing processthat realizes the advantages of digital, additive manufacturing with abroad set of thermoplastic materials and feature resolution to becapable of manufacturing objects with the complexity and structuralintegrity obtained using more traditional manufacturing techniques.

SUMMARY

According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a system andmethod of additive deposition that is capable of using a variety ofadditive materials and depositing them in a high resolution manneracross a substrate. The system is further capable of creating a matrixof additive material by repeated additive material processes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an example additive deposition process according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a further example additive deposition process according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example additive deposition systemaccording to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an example additive material preparation portion of an exampleadditive deposition system according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is an example substrate portion of an example additive depositionsystem according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is an example additive deposition process 100 according to anembodiment of the invention. The process selectively depositsaerosolized, liquid additive material onto a substrate using a chargepotential difference between the aerosol droplets and selected portionsof the substrate layer surface. The additive material can be a liquid ora liquid form of a material, such as a sold material melted into aliquid state. The additive material can be any number of materials,including polymers such as a thermoplastic. The material is first madeinto an aerosol that can be formed in the selective deposition process.The selective deposition of additive material onto the substrate layersurface results in a highly efficient process as any excess depositionof additive material is substantially limited as undeposited additivematerial can be recirculated and recycled back into the process 100.Moreover, by selecting a surface charge density and controlling thecharge on droplets one can control the amount of material that isdeposited in each iteration. Additionally, the process 100 has aresolution, or fineness, associated with the deposition based on theresolution of the selectively removed charges. This allows the additiveprocess 100 to achieve high resolution levels based on the chargedensity and the resolution of a charge altering portion of the process.Repeated depositions of additive materials can be used to create athree-dimensional matrix or object constructed of additive material.

A liquid aerosol of additive material can be generated in various ways.As an example, in FIG. 1 the aerosol is generated 102 using a filamentextension atomizer. The filament extension atomizer uses a pair ofcounter-rotating rollers to stretch filaments of liquid fluidizedadditive material between diverging surfaces of the rollers on adownstream side to generate the aerosol. In an example embodiment, theadditive material can be a thermoplastic polymer that is made liquid byheating and melting the polymer. The liquid additive material pools onan upstream side of a nip, the space between the pair of rollers, and isdrawn into the nip as the rollers counter-rotate. On a downstream side,the fluid is stretched into a filament between diverging surfaces of therollers, to which a portion of the fluid still adheres. As the fluidfilament is stretched, the filament grows longer and thinner. When thefluid filament reaches a point of instability, the capillary break-uppoint of the fluid filament, the filament breaks into multiple drops. Asthe rollers counter-rotate, continuous formation and break-up of fluidfilaments across the surface of the rollers generates the aerosol ofadditive material droplets. The aerosol of additive material is thendirected to further portions of the process for deposition onto thesubstrate. Other filament extension atomizers can be used includingdiverging piston, co-rotating rollers, and roller and beltconfigurations.

Optionally, the formed plurality of droplets can be selectively filtered104 based on size or other physical parameters of the droplets.Selectable physical parameters of the plurality of droplets can includedroplet size and/or weight. A screen filter can be used to select thedroplets matching the desired physical parameters. Alternatively, aninertial impactor or other devices or methods can be used to selectdroplets matching desired physical parameters.

The aerosol of additive material droplets is electrostatically charged106 to a first polarity in preparation for deposition onto a substratelayer surface. An aerosol charger can be used to charge the aerosoldroplets as they are transported through or by the charger. In anexample, the aerosol can be charged electrostatically by passing theaerosol through a region in which a corona is contained, an ion currentis flowing, or using ionizing radiation which excites electron emissionfrom the droplets, or by other means.

The substrate layer surface can also undergo a uniform charging process110 before selectively altering the charge of the substrate layersurface 112. The substrate charging process 110 uniformlyelectrostatically charges the surface of the substrate layer. That is,the surface of the substrate layer is uniformly charged to a desiredcharge density with a polarity that can be opposite or the same as thatof the charged aerosol. A substrate charging apparatus can be used toelectrostatically charge the substrate layer surface. Such an apparatuscan include a corotron, a scorotron or other coronal discharge device. Acoronal discharge device generates a discharge of ions, which uniformlyelectrostatically charge the substrate layer surface.

In an example in which the substrate is electrostatically charged to apolarity opposite that of the aerosol of additive material, a portion ofthe surface charge on the substrate can be selectively altered to asubstantially neutral state. The selective altering of the substratelayer surface charge creates substantially neutral portions of thesubstrate layer surface to which the charged aerosol is not attracted,or deposited by an electrostatic force. That is, the charged aerosol isselectively deposited by electrostatic force only on those portions ofthe substrate that remain charged. As the aerosol of additive materialand the substrate have opposite polarities, there exists an electricpotential between the two. The electrostatic potential causes andelectrostatic force that attracts, or deposits, the charged aerosol ontothe oppositely charged portions of the substrate layer surface. Chargedaerosol is continually attracted, or deposited, onto the substrate layersurface until the electrostatic potential between the charged aerosoland charged substrate layer surface is decreased to a critical point.Once the electrostatic potential between the charged aerosol and thesubstrate surface layer is weakened to a critical point, theelectrostatic force is weakened so that substantially no additionalcharged aerosol is attracted onto the charged substrate surface layer.

The magnitude of the electrostatic potential, and the strength of theelectrostatic force, between the charged aerosol and charged substratesurface layer is based on the charge density and the distance separatingthe charged aerosol from the charged substrate surface layer. Alteringthe charge density of the substrate surface layer alters the amount ofdeposited additive material onto the substrate layer surface. As thecharged material is deposited, or attracted, the electrostatic potentialbetween the charged aerosol and the substrate layer surface is reducedas the substrate layer surface charge is neutralized by the depositedcharged additive material. Not only can the regions in which theadditive material is selectively deposited be limited by selectivelyaltering the electrostatic charge of the substrate layer surface, so canthe amount of additive material deposited also be limited similarly.Selectively reducing the electrostatic charge of similarly chargedportions or regions of the substrate surface layer causes less similarlycharged additive material to be deposited in those portions.

An ionographic print head, or other ion deposition device, can be usedto selectively alter the charge of the substrate layer surface 112. Theionographic print head emits ions directed towards the substrate layersurface. The emitted ions contact the substrate layer surface and canneutralize or induce an electrostatic charge on the substrate layersurface, depending on the polarity of the discharged ions and thepolarity, or electrostatic state, of the substrate layer surface.

In an example, the substrate can be uniformly charged to a secondpolarity and the discharged ions can have an opposite polarity to thatof the substrate layer surface. When oppositely charged ions contact thesubstrate layer surface, they neutralize the electrostatic charge of thesubstrate layer surface at the location of contact. Translating theionographic print head relative to the substrate and modulating theoutput of ions, based on an input, results in a substrate surface havingregions which retain the original uniform charge and other regions thatare electrostatically neutral or charged to an opposite polarity, thepolarity of the discharged ions. The charged areas are selectivelyaltered since the charges of the uniformly charged substrate surfacelayer were selectively substantially neutralized, or selectively alteredto an opposite polarity. Charged additive material is deposited, orattracted, onto the charged portions of the substrate surface layer bythe electrostatic potential between the substrate surface layer having asecond polarity and the charged aerosol having a first polarity. Thefirst and second polarity can be the same, in which case the uniformlycharged substrate layer surface will repel the charged aerosol,inhibiting deposition. Or, the first and second polarities can beopposite, in which case the uniformly charged substrate layer surfacewill attract the charged aerosol, resulting in additive material beingdeposited onto the substrate layer surface. The ionographic print headis essentially creating the negative space, the area in which theadditive material will not be selectively deposited, or the positivespace, the area in which the additive material will be selectivelydeposited based on the first polarity of the charged aerosol and thesecond polarity of the uniformly charged substrate. The ionographicprint head selectively traces an inputted pattern that can be negativeor positive. Alternative methods and devices can be used to selectivelyremove the charges from portions of the uniformly charged substrate tofacilitate the selective deposition of additive material across thesubstrate.

In another example, the substrate layer surface can be substantiallyneutral and the substrate charging apparatus can selectively alter, orcharge, the substrate surface layer in desired area(s). A substratecharging apparatus can apply charge to targeted areas of the substrateaccording to a predetermined pattern or input. The targeted areas of thesubstrate that are charged correspond to the areas to which theoppositely charged additive material is attracted. In this example, thedesired pattern is formed on the substrate as a positive image, that is,the formed charged areas of the substrate form the desired pattern orarrangement based on the input.

In the example in which the aerosol and the substrate surface share thesame polarity, the charged aerosol will be repelled by the likeelectrostatic charges and the additive material will deposit ontoregions of the substrate surface in which the electrostatic charge hasbeen selectively altered to an opposite polarity or substantiallyneutral state. In an alternative embodiment in which the aerosol and thesubstrate surface have opposite polarities, the charged aerosol will beattracted and deposited onto the surface due to an electrostatic forcecaused by the electrostatic potential between the charged aerosol andthe oppositely charged substrate surface. Selectively altering thecharge of the substrate surface to a polarity that is the same as theaerosol will result in the charged aerosol being repelled and inhibitedfrom depositing into these charge altered areas.

In an example in which the uniformly charged substrate surface has asecond polarity opposite the first polarity of the charged aerosol, thesubstrate layer surface charge can be selectively altered to a neutral,or substantially neutral, state. In this example, the charged aerosolwill be attracted and deposited onto the non-altered charged areas ofthe substrate surface, due to the electrostatic force, but will not beattracted to the substantially neutral portions of the substratesurface. Charged aerosol may deposit in the substantially neutralportions, but the deposition will be minimal as the charged aerosol willbe strongly attracted to the non-altered, oppositely charged regions.Further minimization of mis-deposition of the charged material can bedone by including a guiding passage for the aerosol, as described below,which prevents deposition of charged aerosol onto the substrate byrestricting the deposited additive material to that which is depositedby the electrostatic force attracting the charged aerosol onto thesubstrate.

The charged aerosol is composed of additive material that is thendeposited across the substrate in a desired pattern or arrangementaccording to the arrangement of the charge altered portions of thesubstrate. The altered charged portions of substrate surface layer drivethe deposition and configuration of the charged additive material toform a desired shape, contour, or pattern. This process of depositinglayers of charged additive material can be repeated to form amulti-layer, three-dimensional object of additive material.

FIG. 2 is a further example additive deposition process 200 according toan embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the charged aerosolof additive material is deposited onto the substrate layer surface in asimilar manner as the previous embodiment of FIG. 1 with the addition ofsupport material that is deposited 208 in gaps or regions between andaround the deposited additive material.

In processes in which multiple layers of additive material are to bedeposited it can be desirable to ensure that the next layer can be builton a substantially planar surface in order to facilitate more evenelectrostatic charging. Depositing support material around the additivematerial provides this and the support for future layers as they areformed. Preferably, the support material does not interact with additivematerial and the two materials are easily separated once the additivedeposition process is complete and the desired object, or matrix, formedof additive material is complete. Each resultant layer of additive andsupport material forms the substrate layer for the next additiveprocess. The new substrate layer surface is processed as outlined hereinto form the next layer of additive and support material, with theprocess repeating until the object is formed.

The support material can be a number of materials, including fluids andsolids, which are selected based on their characteristics andinteractions with the additive material. The support material isdeposited around the selectively deposited additive material and may beleveled to form a new substrate layer on which the next additivedeposition process will occur.

In an example, the support material can be a fluid that is dispensedacross the selectively deposited additive material and the substratelayer surface. Preferably the fluid does not bond or is easily separablefrom the selectively deposited additive material. As a support material,the fluid can harden to solid or semi-solid state to support theselectively deposited additive material. The fluid can be evenly spreadand leveled about the additive material using a doctor blade set at afixed or variable height from the substrate layer surface. Additionally,during the support material process, the doctor blade can be used toremove excess, or built-up, additive material, ensuring an even andlevel layer for the next additive deposition process.

Alternatively, a slot die coating method and device can be used, as canan inkjet process that dispenses the support material in between theregions of the selectively deposited additive material. Additionalalternative methods and devices can be used to add support material inthe regions between the selectively deposited additive materials.

In the process 200 of FIG. 2, initially, at least a portion of thesubstrate surface layer can be uniformly charged 202. As discussedabove, this can be done by a blanket charging apparatus, such as ascorotron, that evenly charges the substrate surface layer to a secondpolarity opposite that of the first polarity of the additive materialaerosol.

A portion of the substrate surface layer charge is selectively altered204 in a selected pattern or arrangement. In the embodiment shown, theselectively charge altered portions become substantially neutral oroppositely charged, i.e. altered from the second polarity to the firstpolarity. The charge unaltered portions of the substrate surface layerare the portions to which the charged aerosol of additive material willbe electrostatically attracted and deposited onto by an electrostaticforce. The charge altered regions, or substantially neutral regions,will not have additive material deposited thereon as the charged aerosolwill be repelled from depositing and/or the electrostatic force will beweak enough to not attract charged aerosol droplets onto the substratesurface layer for deposition.

Alternatively, rather than selective removal of charges from thesubstrate surface layer a substantially neutral substrate surface layercan be selectively electrostatically altered to a polarity opposite thefirst polarity of the electrostatically charged aerosol of additivematerial. The charged aerosol is then selectively deposited on theportions of the substrate surface layer that have been selectivelyelectrostatically altered and are not attracted to the neutral portionsof the substrate surface layer where no electrostatic charge has beenapplied.

A portion of the charged aerosol of additive material is then deposited206 on the charged portions of the substrate surface layer formed byselectively altering the electrostatic charge(s) of the said layer. Thesubstrate surface layer now has a selectively deposited layer ofadditive material deposited onto it. Gaps are formed on the substratebetween and around the deposited additive material. The gaps are regionswhere the electrostatic charge of the substrate surface layer wasselectively removed or was never applied, which inhibited the depositionof additive material onto those portions of the substrate. The gaps arevoids between the deposited additive material and vary in size, shape,and contour in opposing compliment to the deposited additive material.The gaps are then filled 208 with a support material, as describedabove.

The support material can be a number of different materials, including aliquid or a solid that is dispensed and leveled around and between thedeposited additive material as described above. The support materialsurrounds and supports the selectively deposited additive materialstructure as it is formed in a layer-by-layer process.

In an example, the support material can be a thermoset material. Thethermoset material is a malleable prepolymer that can be pressed intothe gaps between the deposited additive materials using the doctorblade. Once deposited in the gaps, the thermoset support material iscured, or heated, to polymerize and set the material into a solid, hardmaterial that surrounds and supports the selectively deposited additivematerial.

As mentioned above, this process 200 can be repeated 210 to create amulti-layer, three-dimensional structure that is formed in alayer-by-layer process using a substrate charge deposition and selectivecharge removal and/or selective charge application process.

The various steps of the processes outlined in the embodiments of FIGS.1 and 2 can be done in a step-by-step process or a continuous process.That is, each portion of the process can be completed across at least aportion of the substrate before moving onto the next portion of theprocess, or the various steps of the processes can occur simultaneouslyin the orders outlined as the substrate is translated through thevarious portions of the system. FIG. 5, discussed in more detail below,shows an additive deposition process in which the latter occurs, wherebythe various process steps are done concurrently as the substrate istranslated through the various portions.

Referring now to the block diagram shown in FIG. 3, an example additivedeposition system 300 is shown that includes an additive materialhandling portion 301 and a substrate handling portion 311 that intersectwhen the charged aerosol of additive material 308 is deposited onto thesubstrate 318. The material handling portion 301 includes a passage ofchannel(s) through which the charged additive material is directed overthe selectively charged translating substrate. An opening in the passageor channel allows the charged additive material to be pulled through byan electrostatic force and deposited onto areas of the substrate surfacelayer due to the electrostatic potential between the charged aerosol andselected regions of the substrate surface layer. Un-deposited material,charged additive material that was not attracted to selected portions ofthe substrate surface layer, can be re-circulated or recycled back intothe additive material handling portion 301.

A filament extension atomizer 302 is included in the additive materialhandling portion 301 of the system 300. The filament extension atomizer302 is used to generate the aerosol of additive material to be depositedonto the substrate surface layer 312. The filament extension atomizer302 uses a pair of counter-rotating rollers to stretch fluid filamentsof additive materials between diverging surfaces of the rollers on adownstream side. The filaments are stretched to a capillary break-uppoint, at which point a portion of each of the fluid filaments breaksdown into as an aerosol of additive material droplets.

Use of a filament extension atomizer allows for the atomization offluids and materials that exhibit non-Newtonian properties.Non-Newtonian fluids can be difficult to atomize due to extensionalthickening that occurs in stretched filaments of the fluid, whichrequires the filaments to be stretched beyond the ability ofconventional spray generators, to generate the aerosol of atomized fluidmaterial. In addition to non-Newtonian fluids, the fluid extensionatomizer can also be used with a Newtonian fluid to create an aerosol.

The aerosol can then be filtered based on size or other physicalparameters of the droplets by an aerosol size selection apparatus ormethod 304. Size, or other physical parameter, selection 304 of thegenerated aerosol can be done by a filter, inertial impactor or otherdevice or method capable of excluding droplets having physicalparameters outside of predetermined limits. The inertial impactor isplaced in the stream of aerosol droplets and includes geometry, such assharp corners, that requires the droplets to flow around to continuedownstream. Droplets having a momentum that exceeds a threshold set bythe geometry of the impactor are excluded from the stream, insteadimpacting the geometry of the impactor rather than flowing around.Momentum of a droplet is a function of speed and mass of the droplet,allowing the impactor to exclude droplets that are outside ofpredetermined size and weight parameters.

The aerosol is charged 306 in preparation for deposition on thesubstrate 312. The aerosol is charged 306 by an aerosol chargingapparatus. The aerosol charging apparatus can generate a region in whicha corona is contained, an ion current is flowing, or ionizing radiationwhich excites electron emission from the droplets, charging the dropletsof the aerosol to a desired first polarity. The charge of the aerosolcan be opposite in polarity to the blanket charge of the substratesurface layer 312, which causes the charged aerosol to be attracted tothe oppositely charged portions of the substrate surface layer.

Once charged, the aerosol 308 is guided, or passed, parallel over thesurface of the selectively charged substrate surface layer 318 todeposit the additive material. The oppositely charged aerosol andportions of the substrate surface layer are attracted to one another dueto an electrostatic potential. The electrostatic potential creates anelectrostatic force which drives the aerosol to deposit onto theselected regions of the substrate surface layer. The charged aerosol ofadditive material can be guided through a passage or channel by anairstream or other method. An opening on the passage or channel allowscharged aerosol droplets to electrostatically interact with the selectedportions of the substrate surface layer only over a defined region,creating the electrostatic potential and resultant electrostatic forcebetween the two. The electrostatic force causes a portion of the chargedaerosol of additive material to exit the passage or channel through theopening and selectively deposit onto the substrate surface layer.

Un-deposited charged aerosol can be optionally recycled 310 back intothe filament extension atomizer 302 for use in later additive depositionprocesses. In this manner, substantially only the additive materialdeposited onto the substrate is used, which results in a high efficiencyadditive process. The excess, un-deposited additive material isredirected back through the additive material handling portion 301 tothe filament extension atomizer. The fluid additive material can thenundergo further aerosol generation processes.

The substrate handling portion 311 of the additive deposition system 300can uniformly charge and selectively alter electrostatic charges of thesubstrate surface layer 312 to facilitate the selective deposition ofadditive material. The substrate surface layer 312 can be initiallyblanketed with a uniform charge 314 of a similar or opposite polarity tothat of the first polarity of the charged aerosol 308. A blanketcharging apparatus is used charge the substrate surface layer 312.

Once blanketed in charge, at least a portion of the charge isselectively altered 316. An ionographic print head or other suitabledevice or apparatus can be used to selectively alter the electrostaticcharge of the substrate surface layer. Selectively altering the chargeof the substrate surface layer creates areas of the surface that arecharge neutral, similarly charged to the first polarity or oppositelycharged to the first polarity. The neutral, or similarly chargedportions of the substrate surface layer do not attract the chargedaerosol, inhibiting or preventing the deposition of additive material inthese locations.

After a portion of the substrate surface layer electrostatic charge hasbeen selectively altered, the substrate is translated 318 past thecharged aerosol guiding structure. The charged aerosol droplets areselectively deposited onto the substrate surface layer by anelectrostatic force caused by the electrostatic potential between thecharged aerosol and selected regions of the substrate surface layer.Once deposited, the additive material is allowed to cool and solidify.

The substrate can also undergo further additive deposition step(s).Support material can be applied 320 between the deposited additivematerials to create a new, level substrate layer surface. As discussedabove, the support material can be dispensed across the currentsubstrate surface layer and leveled about the selectively depositedadditive material to form a new substrate layer surface for the nextadditive deposition process. The result is a smooth, continuous layer ofadditive material and support material forming a substrate layersurface, the entire structure of additive material and additive materialsupported by the original substrate.

If repeated additive deposition processes are to be carried out, theprevious layer of selectively deposited additive material can be kept ina semi-fluid state to assist with adhering and bonding the next additivematerial layer to form the multi-layer structure. As one example, thewhole process can be completed in a heated environment, so that eachsuccessive selective deposition of additive material bonds to thepreviously deposited material.

Any residual charges of the deposited additive material and/or substratesurface layer can be neutralized 322 concurrently during the scorotronpre-charge step. Alternatively, the neutralization of any residualcharges can be done as a separate step before the scorotron pre-chargestep. The surface now once more travels through the substrate handlingportion 311 of the additive deposition system 300. This process can berepeated as many times as necessary to create a structure or matrix ofselectively applied additive material. To create the layers, thesubstrate translation 318 can include moving the substrate in a verticalaxis, thereby maintaining a constant and fixed separation between thecharged aerosol deposition and the substrate layer surface.Alternatively, the charged aerosol deposition can be translatedvertically to maintain the same separation. Once the desired structureor matrix is completed, the support material can be separated from theadditive material if necessary or desired using a number of differentprocesses including removal by solvent, mechanical removal or thermalremoval.

FIG. 4 is an example additive material preparation portion 401 of anadditive deposition system 400 according to an embodiment of theinvention. In the preparation portion 401 of the system 400, an aerosol406 of additive material is formed using a filament extension atomizer402. The additive material aerosol is charged 422 in preparation fordeposition through an opening 430 onto a substrate. Additive material,in a fluid form, is introduced, either externally or internally, to thefilament extension atomizer 402. A pair of counter-rotating rollers 404engage the fluid additive material, and stretch filaments of additivematerial between the diverging downstream surfaces of the rollers 404.As the fluid filaments are stretched between the rollers 404, the fluidfilament reaches a point of instability, a capillary break-up point. Atthe capillary break-up point, at least a portion of each of the fluidfilaments breaks down into an aerosol of additive fluid droplets 406. Anintroduced airstream 408 can be used to guide the formed aerosol throughthe additive material preparation portion 401 of the system 400. The airstream 408 can be created by the rotation of the rollers 404 of thefilament extension atomizer 402 or by other means, such as an externalsource.

Having the filament extension atomizer 402 in a vertical orientation, asshown in FIG. 4, the aerosol 406 formed by the filament extensionatomizer 402 can be filtered based on droplet size and/or weight. Theforce of gravity on the droplets of the formed aerosol 406 can be usedto prevent oversized and/or overweight droplets from proceeding furtherthrough the portion 401. Varying the vertical height of the filamentextension atomizer 402 with respect to the airstream 408 can be used toselectively allow droplets of a desired size and/or weight to exit thefilament extension atomizer 403 and continue through the portion 401 andinto the passage 410.

A passage 410 guides the generated aerosol from the filament extensionatomizer 402 through the additive material handling portion 401 of thesystem 400. The passage 410 is positioned to guide the flow of thegenerated aerosol parallel and proximate to the translating substrate tofacilitate the deposition of charged additive material onto selectedportions of the substrate surface layer based on the electrostaticinteraction between the charged aerosol and the selectively chargealtered substrate surface layer.

A droplet selector 412 can be disposed within a passage 410 of theadditive material handling portion 401. The droplet selector 412 canselectively remove, or exclude, droplets that have physical parameters,such as size and weight, outside a set of desired parameters. Excludeddroplets can be recycled 414 back into the filament extension atomizer402 for later use. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the dropletselector 412 is an inertial impactor that is positioned in the stream offlowing formed aerosol. The impactor includes geometry to selectivelyfilter aerosol droplets based on their momentum. Using this geometry,droplets that are outside of a predetermined and/or desired physicalparameter range are blocked from continuing through the passage 410.

An aerosol charging apparatus 420 electrostatically charges the aerosoldroplets as they pass. The charging apparatus 420 induces anelectrostatic charge in the aerosol droplets in preparation fordeposition onto a substrate surface layer. The charging apparatus 420can generate a region in which a corona is contained, an ion current isflowing, or ionizing radiation through which the aerosol droplets arepassed. This excites electron emission from the droplets toelectrostatically charge them to a desired polarity. Charged aerosoldroplets 422 continue through the passage 410 and across a depositionopening 430.

As the charged aerosol 422 passes across the deposition opening 430, aportion of the charged aerosol is attracted and deposited through theopening 430 onto a substrate surface layer passing below due to anelectrostatic force caused by the electrostatic potential between thecharged aerosol 422 and the substrate surface layer. The excess, orresidual, charged aerosol 422 that continues through the passage can berecycled 414 back into the system 400.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example substrate portion 501 of the additivedeposition system 400. In this portion, a substrate 502 can be uniformlyblanket charged before a portion of the charge of the substrate 502layer surface is selectively altered. As the substrate 502 passesbeneath the deposition passage opening 430, charged aerosol droplets 422are attracted and deposited onto selected regions of the substrate 502layer surface due to an electrostatic force caused by the electrostaticpotential between the substrate 502 layer surface and charged aerosol422. The electrostatic force drives a portion of the charged aerosol 422from the deposition passage opening 430 onto selected regions of thesubstrate 502 layer surface. Remaining charged aerosol continues throughthe deposition passage 410 to be recycled or disposed of. The chargedaerosol 422 is attracted to the oppositely charged portions of thesurface of the substrate. Gaps 514 form between the deposited portionsof additive material 423 that are filled with a support material 530 tocreate a smooth, continuous layer of material, support and additive,that covers the substrate layer surface. The electrostatic charges arethen substantially neutralized from the substrate and additive materialto create a new electrostatically neutral substrate layer surface thatcan be fed through the additive deposition system 400 for furtheradditive material deposition processes. The substrate 502 is translatedthrough the system 400 by a substrate translation system 506.

A uniform blanket electrostatic charge can be induced across thesubstrate 502 layer surface by a blanket charging apparatus 504. In theexample embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the substrate is blanketed with anegative charge. In an example embodiment, a scorotron can be used tocreate the blanket charge across the substrate layer surface. Thescorotron electrostatically charges the substrate layer surface bygenerating a corona discharge and accelerates the charge toward thepassing substrate, charging the substrate surface layer until thesurface charge density causes the surface potential to be equal to thatof the scorotron grid. The corona discharge can be formed by placing ahigh voltage on a thin wire inside a metal walled cylinder. The highfield thus created in turn ionizes the surrounding gas, such as air. Asthe substrate passes through the formed cloud of charged particles, thesubstrate layer surface is charged to a polarity of that of the emittedparticles. The scorotron allows the substrate layer surface to becharged to uniform charge density regardless of previous charge states,which can eliminate the need to reduce or substantially neutralizeresidual charges of the new substrate layer surface, of support andadditive material, before a further additive deposition process occurs.

Once the substrate 502 layer surface is covered in a continuous andequal electrical charge, a portion of the charge is selectively alteredby a selective charging apparatus 510 based on an input. The input cancome from a user, computer program or other and contains instructionsregarding the pattern of selective charge altering performed by theapparatus 510. In the embodiment shown, the selective charging apparatus510 is an ionographic print head. The ionographic print head directs (oraccelerates using a grid) a stream of ions having a polarity oppositethat of the charged substrate. The emitted oppositely charged ionsneutralize or oppositely charge a local region of the substrate layersurface. In this manner, the ionographic print head can neutralize,oppositely charge or charge in a selective manner based on an input suchas a pattern, computer control instructions or others. The ionographicprint head 510 can be moved across the surface of the substrate 502 in alinear manner perpendicular to the translation of the substrate 502,with the substrate 502 advancing a width of the ionographic print head510 after each pass. The linear motion of the ionographic print head510, in combination with the translation of the substrate 502, form a2-dimensional pattern of selectively charged portions across the surfaceof the substrate 502.

Alternatively, an array of ionographic print heads or other iondeposition device can be arranged. In this manner, the amount ofsubstrate 502 layer surface covered by each pass of the array can beincreased. Or, the array can span a distance equal or greater than thewidth of the substrate 502 which would allow the array to be fixed, withthe substrate 502 advancing underneath, either in a continuous orstep-wise manner.

After the ionographic print head 510 has selectively altered at least aportion of the electrostatic charges of the substrate 502 surface layer,the substrate 502 is translated below the deposition opening 430 by thesubstrate translation system 506. As the charged aerosol 422 flowsthrough the passage 412 and across the deposition opening 430, a portionof the charged aerosol 422 is attracted onto the oppositely chargedregions 512 of the substrate 502 layer surface. In the example shown,the oppositely charged portions 512 of the substrate 502 layer surfaceare those portions of the substrate 502 layer surface where the blanketcharge has not been selectively removed or oppositely charged.

The portions of the surface of the substrate 502 where the charge wasselectively altered to a neutral or oppositely charged state form gaps514 between the selectively deposited, charged additive material 423. Asupport material 530 is deposited across the substrate 502 layer surfaceand deposited additive material 422, filling the gaps 514. A doctorblade 534 is positioned a set distance off the surface of the substrate502, smoothing and leveling the surface of the selectively depositedadditive material 422 and support material 530. Once the substrate 502layer surface is covered in deposited additive material 423 and supportmaterial 530, the remaining, or residual, electrical charges can besubstantially reduced or neutralized from the materials 422 and 530 andthe substrate 502.

The substrate 502 can undergo repeated additive material depositionprocesses or the additive material can be allowed to set, if necessary,to the substrate, as discussed above. The support material 530 can bebonded to the substrate 502 as part of the setting process, or can beremoved, leaving the set deposited additive material object.

The substrate translation system 506 can translate the substratehorizontally in the plane of the substrate 502 and vertically,perpendicular to the substrate 502. In the embodiment shown, thesubstrate 502 can be translated by the system 506 along three axes. Inexamples in which the selective charging apparatus 510 is translated inan axis across the substrate 502 layer surface, the substratetranslation system 506 can translate the substrate 502 in anincremental, or step-wise, manner after each pass of the selectivecharging apparatus 510. Once the substrate 502 layer surface chargeraltering is complete, the substrate translation can translate thesubstrate 502 in a vertical axis before repeating the translation in ahorizontal plan to create a new layer of selectively deposited additivematerial. In another example in which the selective charging apparatus510, or an array of apparatuses 510, is stationary, the substrate 502can be translated in 2 or more axes to complete the desired chargeremoval pattern.

The various components of the substrate portion 501 of the additivedeposition system 400 can be arranged so that the substrate 502 istranslated under the components 504, 510 and 530 in sequence. In thismanner, the substrate 502 can be continuously processed through thesystem 400.

Repeating the additive material deposition process through the system400 can be used to build up the additive material in a 3-dimensionalmatrix of material. The repeated additive material deposition processescreate a high-resolution 3-dimensional object. The resolution of theadditive deposition process can be varied based on the fineness andaccuracy of the selective charge removal apparatus 510. The resolutionis further enhanced due to the selective thickness of the depositedadditive material. A greater electrostatic potential between the chargedaerosol 422 and the oppositely charged substrate 502 can result in alarger agglomeration of aerosolized additive material on the substrate502, as additional charged aerosol can be required to neutralize theoppositely charged region of the substrate layer surface depending onthe magnitude of the electrostatic potential. As discussed above, thesupport material 530 can be removed in a finishing process to expose thesolid 3-dimensional object formed of deposited additive material.

It will be appreciated that variants of the above-disclosed and otherfeatures and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined intomany other different systems or applications. Various presentlyunforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, orimprovements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in theart which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of additive deposition,comprising: generating an aerosol of additive material by an aerosolgeneration apparatus; electrostatically charging a substrate layer to anelectrostatic charge of a first polarity with a substrate chargingapparatus; selectively altering the electrostatic charge of thesubstrate layer surface by depositing ions onto the substrate layerusing an ion deposition apparatus external to the substrate;electrostatically charging the generated aerosol of the additivematerial to a second polarity by an aerosol charging apparatus;selectively depositing the electrostatically charged generated aerosolof the additive material onto the substrate layer surface due to anelectrostatic force caused by an electrostatic potential between theelectrostatically charged aerosol of the additive material and theselectively electrostatically charge altered substrate surface layer toform a layer of deposited additive material; depositing a supportmaterial onto the substrate surface layer around regions of thedeposited additive material such that a combination of depositedadditive material and the support material form a new substrate layer;and repeating the generating, electrostatically charging the substratelayer, selectively altering, electrostatically charging the generatedaerosol, selectively depositing the additive material, and depositingthe support material, for each subsequent layer of the additive materialto form a solid three-dimensional object of additive material.
 2. Theadditive deposition method of claim 1, further including smoothing thedeposited support material using a doctor blade.
 3. The additivedeposition method of claim 1, wherein the aerosol generation apparatusis a filament extension atomizer.
 4. The additive deposition method ofclaim 1, wherein the ion deposition apparatus is an ionographic printhead.
 5. The additive deposition method of claim 1, wherein thesubstrate charging apparatus is one of a corotron, scorotron or acoronal discharge device.
 6. The additive deposition method of claim 1,further including guiding the charged generated aerosol of additivematerial nearby a deposition passage positioned proximate the substratesurface layer and including an opening disposed therein to allow theelectrostatic force to selectively deposit the charged aerosol ofadditive material onto the substrate surface layer.
 7. The additivedeposition method of claim 1, further including excluding generatedaerosol based on a physical parameter including at least one of size andweight.
 8. The additive deposition method of claim 7, further includingrecycling the excluded generated aerosol.
 9. A method of additivedeposition, comprising: generating an aerosol of additive material by anaerosol generation apparatus; selectively altering an electrostaticcharge of a substrate layer surface by depositing ions using an iondeposition apparatus external to the substrate layer; electrostaticallycharging the generated aerosol of the additive material to a firstpolarity by an aerosol charging apparatus; selectively depositing theelectrostatically charged generated aerosol of the additive materialonto the substrate layer surface due to an electrostatic force caused byan electrostatic potential between the electrostatically charged aerosolof the additive material and the selectively electrostatically chargealtered substrate surface layer; depositing a support material onto thesubstrate surface layer around regions of the selectively depositedadditive material; repeating the generating, electrostatically chargingthe substrate surface layer, selectively altering, electrostaticallycharging the generated aerosol, selectively depositing the additivematerial, and depositing the support material, for each subsequent layerof the additive material to form a solid three-dimensional object ofadditive material; and removing the support material from the additivematerial when the process of additive deposition is completed.